"I have to say the old cliché … I had a blast!" Danielson said. "I had the joy of attending this clinic, which is the 300th clinic in 2010."

"In addition to the usual .22 Pistol and Rifle ranges that they’ve presented to 75 women since 2008, the directors added a couple of very interesting non firearm related venues to the program," Danielson continued. "Two of Roanoke Police Department’s finest Personal Protection and Self Defense instructors presented a detailed demonstration on pressure points and hold releases for the ladies to use to escape an attacker."

Women On Target Instructional Shooting Clinics often incorporate specialized sessions such as these. Danielson noted this event included a special course on how to clean and maintain firearms. It's up to the club or group hosting the event to decide which disciplines to offer. Ridge Rifle Association, like many groups, encourages women to try out both pistols and rifles.

"Additionally, some of the club members belong to the Virginia Cavalry, a Civil War Reenactment group," she said. "They brought their muskets and a 10 pounder Parrot canon to demonstrate some of the firearm history of the United States."

"With 2 months to go and 22 more clinics scheduled as of this week, we look to break more records for clinic numbers with another 20% increase for the year." NRAblog will bring you the numbers as they are released. For more information about Women On Target Clinics coming to your area, visit www.nrahq.org/women/isc/clinics.asp. Have a question? Contact NRA Women’s Programs at (703) 267-1398.